I enjoyed the milieu and language of the book -- 1920s/30s upper-crust England, pip pip! -- but there are two ways to interpret the book and both leavI enjoyed the milieu and language of the book -- 1920s/30s upper-crust England, pip pip! -- but there are two ways to interpret the book and both leave me cold. Either we are meant to sympathize with the main character, whose agnosticism is very logical and modern-feeling but whose callous adultery is the most boring literary cliche in the book, or he is actually a cold unfeeling jerk who loses his chance to come to Jesus and become Catholic like everyone else wants him to, and suffers the consequences. Since I can't stand books about men who married without love and for money ditching their wife and family to have a grand affair, and since I am pretty devotedly a-religious, the ending was going to disappoint either way. ...more

3.5 stars. My problem with this book is the same as with the previous one, which is that the tough, sarcastic tone is often overdone, so the narrator3.5 stars. My problem with this book is the same as with the previous one, which is that the tough, sarcastic tone is often overdone, so the narrator is still tossing out flip little asides after a line of dialogue or factual description and the pace drags. The fact that the asides are usually snarky comments about unpleasant things (their shitty parents, people who have died or betrayed them, the world sucking in general) annoys me even more, because I get impatient with main characters who are just too cool for everything, and never seem to enjoy anything without irony. Plus, boy, do some of the complaints get repetitive; I think it was around the third time we got the story of Buffy Meissioner that I started skimming when I saw her name.

However, that's just a writing tic that I don't like, and otherwise the world-building and characters are really enjoyable and once I got over the initial slow start to this book, I read it pretty fast thanks to some intense action scenes. I was a big fan of Crichton when I was a teen, and this series gives me that same medical-thriller feel as some of his best stuff. Great summer reading, basically. ...more

I really enjoyed the transition to EPIC FANTASY for the last book in the series, even when it was pulling from Tolkien a little too much. A good endinI really enjoyed the transition to EPIC FANTASY for the last book in the series, even when it was pulling from Tolkien a little too much. A good ending to the series....more

It's been a while since I've read a book which takes such frequent side detours into expressions of the author's philosophy -- very much like RussianIt's been a while since I've read a book which takes such frequent side detours into expressions of the author's philosophy -- very much like Russian literature, or indeed much 19th century literature. The detours weren't too long, though, and other than at the end when the idealization of the undemanding love between dog and human was weirdly twisted to validate infidelity in a backwards way (hello, authorial prejudices!), I though the philosophy was interesting. I also liked the post-modern devices of treating the characters as characters, not people, and the sections about Tereza and her mother were stunningly insightful to me. And finally, it was good to read fiction about desperate and unpleasant things when the narrator has really earned the right to do so (ie. by living through Communist occupation of his country), rather than people who are just joy-riding through depressing history. It took me longer than I'd thought to finish, and I was left somewhat unsatisfied, but overall it was a worthy read....more

Pretty enjoyable -- a little short and unfocused, but the writing is snappy enough and the stories she recounts are entertaining enough that it works.Pretty enjoyable -- a little short and unfocused, but the writing is snappy enough and the stories she recounts are entertaining enough that it works. You definitely sense she has enough personal and showbiz material for another book, but for obvious professional reasons that will probably have to wait. Lots of sharp feminism tucked into the jokes, which is her preferred method of challenging the status quo. I'm not sure I totally agree with her that the best way to get things changed is just to grit your teeth until you get into a position of power - I think we all have a duty to call people on their shit whether or not they can help you in your career - but I'm glad she tries to do it at all, especially fighting against the stupid "women aren't funny" stuff you hear....more

I think I wanted this to either be more thriller-like or more philosophical. The beginning and end both have some titillating post-apocalyptic thrillsI think I wanted this to either be more thriller-like or more philosophical. The beginning and end both have some titillating post-apocalyptic thrills, but the long, long middle has a lot of generalizing and observation, but nothing of very specific interest, I felt. I didn't get any "aha, exactly!" moments, in part because Camus rarely describes individual cases or people that were relatable instead of absurd, and the end of the philosophy seemed to be "sometimes stuff happens, then we forget about it and are unchanged until it happens again." Except I really did want to see the plague's effect on the regular townspeople, rather than how a few heroic characters and a few oddballs responded to it. On the flip side, some of the descriptions of what was going on in the isolation camps and crematoriums was chilling, but the book never dwells long on the real horrors of a plague outbreak.

I can see, having now written this review, that the point of the book is to mimic easy middle-class life, where you occasionally glimpse a dead rat in the gutter or a streetcar full of corpses heading to the charnel house, and then forget it about while re-watching the same movie for the tenth time, and in the end it's all rather banal and forgettable. However, that does not make for the most exciting reading experience. Too clever for me, I suppose....more

Somehow, this is the last Austen novel I hadn't read -- and I am not too regretful about leaving it out for so long. The writing is fine and I see whaSomehow, this is the last Austen novel I hadn't read -- and I am not too regretful about leaving it out for so long. The writing is fine and I see what Austen was trying to do, but I think the contemporary mindset expressed here is just too removed from my own time for me to really enjoy the novel. I actually wish some of the disparities had been a little more heightened; instead of getting to delight in a selfless and moral heroine finally overcoming her vain and shallow relations, we see a nice girl who was treated fairly (if not extremely) well by her richer relations, and who "wins" mainly by being silent, nice, and waiting out everyone else until they do stupid things without taking any kind of action herself. Fanny doesn't explain to her uncle that Henry Crawford is a rake with designs on her cousins (which might have prevented him hanging around said cousins again later in the book), and she doesn't tell Edward all the nasty mercenary things Mary Crawford says about him (which might have saved him some trouble), but waits until they show themselves, which isn't terribly admirable. I get that she's neither prudish nor passive by Austen's standards, though, which makes this feel like a book that's mostly just outlived its time....more

I was glad to see a quote from this pop up in a GR trivia question the other day, since I've been trying to figure out for years exactly which set ofI was glad to see a quote from this pop up in a GR trivia question the other day, since I've been trying to figure out for years exactly which set of Greek myth retellings I read as a child and recognized the quote right away. After running out to buy and reread it, I can see why others feel these are more aimed at children, since the rough edges are polished off (Zeus "courted" Europa as a white bull??) and the more involved or adult-themed myths aren't included, but I still think this is a pretty good set of retellings. Evslin captures the beauty and power with lots of funny asides, and gives life to these ancient and well-known characters. I will definitely keep this one on my shelves as a starter book for Greek mythology, at least. ...more

Odd to read a Murakami that's just about people, without any surreal/paranormal plot lurking in the background, but I am reading in almost-backwards oOdd to read a Murakami that's just about people, without any surreal/paranormal plot lurking in the background, but I am reading in almost-backwards order so I guess it makes sense. I think my favorite thing about this book is the tension between the ordered, calm characters (who are all somewhat withdrawn and restrained in a way I'd characterize as typically Japanese to a Westerner's eyes) and the lushness of food, nature, sex, and the city of Tokyo itself. It's as if the characters are cool white lilies floating in this deep and scary sea, not quite being touched by it but still aware of it, and I love that....more

Despite getting a high rating for sheer entertainment value, this book has one major problem, which is that it is actually AT LEAST FOUR BOOKS, maybeDespite getting a high rating for sheer entertainment value, this book has one major problem, which is that it is actually AT LEAST FOUR BOOKS, maybe even five. No wonder it took the author so long to finish! And I'm not even talking about page length (though in the last 30-40 pages I was whining aloud "Why is this book still happening?" as I was trying to finish it at 1 in the morning), but the fact that there are four distinct stories here -- a return to the school stuff from the previous book, two D&D-type quests (go work for this faraway duke and incidentally save him from poisoning; go find some bandits along with four random new characters who don't get along with each other), and a pretty cool training montage which was maybe my favorite portion of the book. By the time I was on the third story, I was seriously annoyed that we'd spent over 300 pages noodling around back at the University to start with, and I seriously wished Rothfuss had just chopped off that part of the book and released it alone, then followed up with a third book set in Vintland, and finally an Ademic/faerie book followed by a return to the University in another book.

Pacing aside, the book has still got it going on, and Rothfuss continues to be excellent at coming up with original and creative new fantasy tropes and twists. I like that Kvothe gets himself into trouble as often as he gets himself out of it, and that it feels very natural for his young and precocious character to do so. His constant grooming of his own reputation works very well in this sense, and given his age and the frequent school setting I keep being reminded of Harry Potter and thinking Kvothe comes out better in comparison -- Harry always accidentally saves the day and then is modest and retiring about it, whereas I like that Kvothe takes advantage of what comes his way, even if he is honest about the truth to his friends.

The only other problem with this series is that Denna, the love interest, is the worst fucking character, but I guess you can't have everything. Sigh. ...more

Another new YA book that made me nostalgic -- this time for Laura Ingalls, Caddie Woodlawn, and Anne Shirley, to a degree. I grew up loving stories ofAnother new YA book that made me nostalgic -- this time for Laura Ingalls, Caddie Woodlawn, and Anne Shirley, to a degree. I grew up loving stories of 19th century North American girls who lived in the country and were spirited and curious, so this is right up my alley. I'm old enough now to have appreciated what this can do even for a modern girl, so I'd recommend it to any young reader. I was drawn into the story, and found myself unexpectedly interested in some of the side characters (like her best friend Lula and younger brother Travis), but I think I enjoyed it mostly for its existence and championing of science than as an adult read....more

OK, I'm giving it an extra half-star because it is clever, made me nostalgic, and because I fear my lukewarm reaction to the book was probably causedOK, I'm giving it an extra half-star because it is clever, made me nostalgic, and because I fear my lukewarm reaction to the book was probably caused in part by the hype and my age (i.e. I would have liked the book better if I'd just discovered it on a shelf somewhere, preferably around age 11). The funny thing is that it didn't technically make me nostalgic for my own childhood, since I was born in 1981, but for all the books written in the '70s that I read in the '80s, the ones with mimeographs and kids allowed to be at home when they were under 12 and with no microwaves. My childhood was certainly closer to Stead's than to today's kids', especially technology and supervision-wise, but I was very aware at the time that Judy Blume's world was different from mine.

The other strength of the book is that it's full of piercingly true childhood moments, like losing a friend or having someone read the book you treasure most and feeling like your "private things have been gone through," or having a single mom and feeling weird about going to other people's houses and having them see yours. I feel like that stuff trumped the mystery plot, which moved a little too quickly and didn't really resonate enough for me (not as much as, say, "The Westing Game" or "The Egypt Game" or other books of that era that this book pays homage to). I also think that the first person POV is the book's weakness and strength, since it gives those excellent insights but makes the narration somewhat plodding, especially towards the end.

Overall, it's hard for me to judge this book fully since I'm not reading it at age 11, so elements that might have seemed magical at the time aren't so much now, but I would solidly recommend it to any kid who'd already gotten through the great kids' books of the '60s and '70s and wanted something more in that vein....more

Even this bowdlerized version is full of cringey depictions of brown people, but it does have some great stuff arguing against bullfighting (which expEven this bowdlerized version is full of cringey depictions of brown people, but it does have some great stuff arguing against bullfighting (which explains why I thought it was awful from an early age). I still enjoyed the reread since it was a favorite book of mine as a kid, full of interesting characters (Polynesia!) and adventures for the little boy in it, and I definitely had some suspicions this time around about where Doctor Who drew its inspirations from for the character of the Doctor, but I might have to do some guided reading and explanations before ever giving it to a theoretical kid of mine....more

I really do love Mary Renault's books, even though they take me some time to get through (my familiarity with Greek history is not so in-depth, and soI really do love Mary Renault's books, even though they take me some time to get through (my familiarity with Greek history is not so in-depth, and sometimes I get confused when new characters show up that I feel I should recognize but don't). The other serious flaw in this book is that she likes to use pronouns instead of names, and with so many male characters it can get very confusing in the flow of a paragraph or page to figure out who she's talking about. Beyond that, I just love her Alexander, proud and confident but also vulnerable and needing to be loved, and the way she writes ancient Greece is totally immersing. Of course now I have to find the sequels, since I picked this up used and didn't realize it wasn't a standalone....more